


Faith vs. Hazel

by chadmaako, MeJA



Series: The Team Rifle Ideas [5]
Category: Black Lagoon (Anime & Manga), Final Fantasy IX, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, RWBY
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, F/M, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 09:13:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20307043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chadmaako/pseuds/chadmaako, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeJA/pseuds/MeJA
Summary: Chad “Chadmaako”passed away from a heart condition before he could finish Team Rifle. These are the ideas and plot twists Chad and I discussed. Thanks to Mrs. Chadmaako for her approval for this endeavor.





	Faith vs. Hazel

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [RWBY: Team Rifle (RFFL)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7283146) by [chadmaako](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chadmaako/pseuds/chadmaako). 

> So here’s the fight between the petite One Punch woman, Faith Lehane, and Salem’s tank, Hazel Rainart. I set it up within the battle for Haven Academy because, frankly, it seemed the most convenient way to make it work. 
> 
> This is more truly a one shot, as I haven’t addressed all the inconsistencies; for example, in the canonical battle, Hazel is with Cinder Fall, Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrei, and Raven Branwen plus Vernal. By the time the battle for Haven Academy occurs in the RFFL version, Cinder is dead (twice) and so is Emerald, while Mercury has struck a deal with Atlas. I don’t worry here about who is fighting on Hazel’s side – I just have a (mostly) individual battle between him and Faith. So I dedicate this Battle Royale to Chad and hope somewhere he enjoys it…
> 
> I don’t own Black Lagoon, RWBY, Final Fantasy, Harry Potter or anything else.

Oscar stood, internally arguing with Ozpin occupying his body. He was refusing to let Ozpin control him; bravely, if not wisely, choosing to fight as himself. Hazel Rainart strode forward resolutely, removing his heavy coat and towering at his full eight foot height. As he advanced, intending mayhem upon the much smaller Oscar in his desire for revenge upon the immortal headmaster Ozpin, he stopped momentarily as a petite brunette with big brown eyes stepped between him and Oscar. “Faith?” Oscar asked, “What are you doing?”

“Getting in the way, this time.” Faith replied, as she reached back behind her to tousle his hair. “So, you wanna tell me who your new big buddy is?” 

Oscar paused, “His name is Hazel Rainart. He’s a former student of Ozpin’s, and he blames him for the death of his sister.” 

“That’s what I need to know. So he wants to turn you into a grease spot to get back at Ozpin, huh?” Though her attention had never totally left Hazel, now she focused solely upon the big man.

"You're name is Hazel? Seriously?! What? Did your parents lose a bet?" Faith snarked. 

For his part, the big man chuckled. "It's unique if nothing else." He cracked his knuckles. "You'd best power up those toys of yours," he said, motioning to her hands. "Got a feeling you're going to need them." 

"Just so you know," Faith offered, activating her gauntlets. She got into a classic pugilist stance. "I punched a bulldozer off a dock with these. And it was a really fuckin' big one." 

"I'll bear that in-," Hazel didn't get a chance to finish the sentence before Faith's blow collided with his chest, hurling back to smash into the building's brick facade. Glass, mortar, and wood rained down on him. 

"When I get done with you, you ain't gonna remember shit." She was surprised when Hazel rose to his feet, dusting himself off. "Well, shit." She added, quietly. 

"Not bad. Good form, impressive strength, excellent follow-through." He straightened his attire. "But you're going to have to do better." He rolled his head about his neck. "Problem is, Faith?" He shook his head, a grin splitting his ruddy face. "I know you aren't capable of _better_" 

Faith sneered. "We'll see about that." She said, slamming her fists together in a display of power. "May the strongest fighter win." 

He chuckled and began circling. "That would be you." He conceded with a nod. "But you've got that a bit wrong, girl." Again he smiled that damn smug, sinister smile. "It's may the _best_ fighter win." He shook his head. "That is _not_ you." This time he rushed forward as Faith did.

Faith aimed another solid punch at his solar plexus, intending on proving the old adage 'the bigger they come, the harder they fall'. She also knew at his size, she would be the faster of the two of them. She was surprised when he slipped sideways and turned her punch outwards with a textbook forearm block. _'Shit! He’s fast!'_ was all she had time to think about before Hazel gripped her forearm. Using her own momentum and punching power, he pulled her off balance and used one long leg to sweep her legs out from under her, throwing her across the lobby. She tucked and rolled like Roberta had taught her and avoided any major damage as she popped upright on one foot and one knee.

Looking back, she saw Hazel dig into two holders at his waist and pull out red and yellow dust crystals and plunge them deep into his arms. _What the fu…?'_ she thought, as she watched the energy from the dust suffuse through his bloodstream, glowing bright through his skin. Energy crackled around his eyes and discharged from the blood vessels under his skin. He roared and turned back towards Faith.

Faith stood back up and slammed her fists together again, facing Hazel. “Careful, Faith!” Ozpin/Oscar said. “His Semblance is that he can block all pain. It’s what lets him charge himself with such high levels of dust. He’s dangerous when he’s like this!”

Hazel roared again, the dust in his system making him sound deeper and more animalistic. Faith shuddered inwardly, his roaring reminding her of her time fighting demons and powerful vampires. To Ozpin/Oscar she said “He’s pretty, all lit up like that! I’m gonna call him Sparkles!”

Faith moved in more cautiously this time, as she and Hazel circled each other. He swung at her, using his longer reach to be more aggressive. She dodged each punch with difficulty, thinking to herself _'He telegraphs each swing, but he’s fast and powerful enough to get away with it!'_ She got inside his guard a couple of times, using her own speed, but every time she attempted to get a heavy punch into his body he backpedaled impressively. _'Guess he knows a little boxing himself – gotta give him credit, pretty light on his feet for a guy his size…' _

She also had to watch for his legs; more than once she herself had to dance away after throwing a punch that he dodged, avoiding a knee strike or sweep kick headed her way in response. One time he even almost stomped on her. As she dodged what seemed like his 200th swing, he caught her slightly off balance and tagged her with his fist to her shoulder. The dust discharge acted like a taser on her, and her arm numbed from the shoulder to her thumb. She danced away from him, and shook the numbness out of her arm quickly, thanks to her Slayer ability to recover quickly. 

Faith recognized that if the fight continued as is, there was a good chance she would lose. She thought back to the high intensity training Roberta gave her….

_'Faith picked herself up for the fourth (or was it the fifth?) time she had been dumped unceremoniously on the thin mats they trained on. “Shit! What am I doing wrong?” she asked._

_“It is easy to predict what you’re doing when you **always** target the same places, _muchacha._” Roberta replied. “Head and heart, head or heart – you are like a broken record. I always know where you are going for, because you never vary from targeting those two areas! Sometimes you feint like you are going to attack differently, but I always know it’s just a feint, because you always switch back to heart or head in the end,_ niña!_”_

_Quietly, Faith said “That’s what Vampire Slayers do. The only way to kill a vampire is by destroying or cutting off his head, or by stabbing through the chest into the heart. It’s almost like…instinct, or somethin'”_

_Roberta nodded, “I see…good to know if we’re ever facing vampires. And those instincts are effective against Grimm…” Roberta put her hands on Faith’s shoulders. “But we are not facing _Draculas, ¿no? _And not all of our enemies are Grimm; some, like Cinder, or Mercury are cunning fighters and will use your tendencies against you. Slow down a little. Work on going against being predictable.” Roberta walked to a rack of staffs by the wall and took one down. “Now, come at me again, and if you go for my head or my heart I will put you in the infirmary, understand?”_

_Faith, a surprised look on her face at Roberta’s warning, nodded and took a deep breath to center herself. She and Roberta circled, then Faith feinted that she wanted to leap and loose a punch at Roberta’s head. Instead she pulled back and aimed a one, two combination at Roberta’s knee. At the last possible instant, a smiling Roberta reversed her stance, and Faith’s gauntleted fists clanged off of Roberta’s metal cyber leg. A second later the butt of Roberta’s staff connected with Faith’s midsection, driving the air out of Faith and laying her out on the sparring mat. _

_Faith coughed and saw stars. As she settled and could breath again, she became aware of her surroundings, including Roberta taking a knee beside her: Watching over her. Faith finally set up on her elbows. Roberta smiled slightly and said “I am proud of you, _muchachita_. You broke from tendency and almost surprised me, congratulations.”_

_Faith sighed. “Yeah, but I still ended up getting my ass kicked…”_

_Roberta stood, and held out her hand and pulled Faith to her feet. “Come, we have class soon and we need to hit the showers.” As they walked out of the gym, Roberta put one arm around a still glum Faith’s shoulders. “Give it time, Faith, I have no doubt in time you will be a great fighter…” Faith glanced at Roberta, who never gave faint praise. Faith then smiled as they headed to the locker… _

As she circled with Hazel, Faith thought _'Time for a change up…'_ Hazel telegraphed a big, sparkling fist coming for Faith’s chest, which Faith dodged and got inside his guard again. This time, instead of swinging wide with her feet firmly planted for a full power punch, she went for quick jabs with less power. Her punches now connected since they were too fast for him to slide away. Though her jabs were still potent enough to put most anyone else hit by them in the hospital with multiple broken bones, with his Semblance he seemed to just absorb her shots. They did stand him up, however, and threw him off balance to where he wasn’t swinging away at will. At this point, Ozpin, now in control of Oscar’s body, flashed through between Hazel’s legs and swung for his hamstrings. Connecting, Hazel growled as the blows brought him to his knees.

Roaring, he brought down his fists, knocking Oscar/Ozpin to the floor. Faith, undeterred, rushed towards him and finally got to cut loose with a full on punch that lifted him off the ground and sent him flying onto the grand staircase. As he landed the wood buckled and depressed, leaving him in the middle of a round depression in the stairs. He shook his head and sat up, only to hear a thump behind his back. Faith landed another blow into his back to send him rolling down the stairs and onto his hands and knees at the landing. Faith took the stairs down two at a time, intending to continue following up on her momentum at getting him down.

As she reached him, his foot lashed out and caught her in her chest. As the air forcibly exploded out of her lungs, she flew back to land in the same depression that he made. He got to his feet, staggered momentarily, than began to put a little distance between her and himself. Faith shook herself to remain conscious, then forced herself to rise and give chase after staggering to her own feet. 

Holding one arm to his side, he used his other hand and arm to launch globes of energy at Faith as she advanced towards him. Dodging his shots, skating back and forth, she closed on him. She dodged again, slipping inside his guard as she finally reached him. But he had used his size to conceal the cocked fist at his side, and he caught Faith cold as she drove in on him. Putting his weight behind the punch, he bowed Faith in two around his fist and sent her flying back to land hard on her back on the grand staircase. As she landed, the back of her head cracked against one of the stairs. Concussed, she fought to stay conscious and focused on him. 

While Faith struggled to get back into the fight, Lie Ren attempted to attack Hazel. He proved to be a short time distraction, as soon he was leveled by a discharge of dust energy from Hazel’s fists. Nora Valkyrie lost her Mjollner in her next attack on him, whereas he threw Mjollner away and ended up smashing Nora’s head to the floor, simultaneously pouring what should have been lethal levels of dust energy into her brain. Looking at Oscar/Ozpin while finishing Nora, he roared “Hiding in the body of a child, Ozpin. How many children have to die for you, Ozpin?!” 

He was surprised when he felt Nora gathering under his hand holding her down, and even more so when she became strong enough to stand up and grip his arm. She flipped him over her shoulder and sent him rolling with a shoulder throw. He quickly flipped back upright, and began throwing fireballs from his hands at Nora and Oscar/Ozpin.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Faith rise and come at him again. She was on him before he could redirect his fire. They traded punches, knocking each other backwards. After recovering their balance, they rushed towards each other again. Faith ducked inside his guard again, but before she could jab or set herself for a heavier punch he roared and lashed out with a quick forward kick that caught her in the chest and sent her skidding backwards. 

As she coughed and spat a little blood, she saw Nora recover her Mjollner and turn towards Hazel, who had his back to her. Forcing herself to rise, she slammed her gauntlets together to get his attention and moved forward to reengage. She moved inside and threw jab after jab, dodging another kick and bloodying his face. She figured she must have been cracking a few of his ribs. He stood his ground and raised his fists together above his head, ready to smash Faith into the ground. Faith looked up at him and smiled, blood on her lips. He paused, then his eyes widened as he realized she was a diversion. As he turned to face the onrushing Nora with Mjollner, Faith exploded upwards and punched him from behind. He was propelled forward into Nora’s swing. Mjollner caught Hazel dead center mass and he flew backwards over Faith and out through one of the large paned windows, taking a large part of the wall with him as well.

Faith paused to take a few deep breaths, feeling something grind painfully on the inside as she pulled air into her chest. _'Mother fucker!... I’m busted up inside! Hopefully the rest of RWBY and JNR can carry on, at least until Bob and the rest of my team arrive…'_ She gave Nora a canary eating grin and said “I didn’t think that freak was ever going to go down! Thanks for the help, droppin' Mjollner on his ass like that.”

Nora nodded and replied “His aura is incredible. Thanks for keeping him occupied until I could get close.” Nora clapped Faith on her shoulder, making Faith wince, since no part of her didn’t seem to ache…”I’m gonna go make sure he’s done for tonight. I’ll be right back.” Faith said as she ran towards the window Hazel was knocked through, and into the night outside. “Kay”, Nora belatedly replied.

Outside Faith saw the path Hazel slid down and the small trench he made when he finally returned to Earth. Hazel lay unmoving at the end of the dug up path, laying now on his back. Faith trotted over until she stood over Hazel. Cocking back her fist, she knelt over him and said “Nothing personal here, Sparkles. It was a good fight, better than I’ve had in awhile, and you’re a worthy opponent. Maybe if things were different we even might’ve been friends. Who knows?”

“Likewise for me…” he rumbled, as his left hand shot up and grabbed Faith’s throat. His leg kicked her legs out from under her, and she fell against him. His right fist crashed into her head, and she felt her nose break and shatter. He punched her head again and again, and she felt her aura finally fade as her battered brain couldn’t maintain it in her semi conscious state. She was tasting copper and blowing bubbles in the blood from her nose as Hazel got to his feet, dangling her like a rag doll in his left hand. Her concussed brain screamed for her to get back up and fight.

But she couldn’t coordinate herself well enough anymore to even use her Slayer abilities. Hazel, his face a maze of cuts and bruises, laid her down and propped her head up against a handy curb of concrete. Cocking his fist back, he rumbled “Likewise, nothing personal, etc.” Looking down at her, he was ready to write the last page in the diary of her young, painful but also glorious life.

He blinked, not believing his eyes. Looking back at him, nose broken and with two severe black eyes, blood trickling in a thin trail from her mouth was the face of his lost sister. “Gretchen?” he asked softly. His left hand let go of Faith’s throat, and he gently rested huge fingertips lightly on her bruised cheek. He had a soft touch for the same man who brutally fought hand to hand and laid out his opponents not too many minutes ago. “Gretchen, please say something! Anything, please…I haven’t heard your voice in so long!”

He waited for her to respond, Faith just glared at him with her one eye not swollen shut. Suddenly, he jerked and grimaced, then slowly looked down. About two feet of a multi foot long extendable stinger made of white, solid light protruded from his stomach from back to front. Faith was lucky not to have been impaled, too. Suddenly, Hazel was jerked away back into the main lobby by the barbed stinger's tendril, attached as it was the Grimm Queen Lancer summons by Weiss. He reached out a hand to try to catch himself and stay with her, to no avail. He cried his sister’s name again as he was hauled away from Faith.

_'Dunno if I can say I won this fight, Bob. But at least I was good enough to survive it…'_ was Faith’s final thought as she smiled before she slipped into unconsciousness. 

**Epilogue**

Roberta used a light touch as she refreshed the compresses on Faith’s eyes and forehead as she slept. She gently slipped a pair of the Remnant version of aspirin past Faith’s lips, and woke her just enough to swallow the medicine with a little water. Faith started to stir, but Roberta firmly and carefully tucked her in, and in a similar firm but gentle voice told her mentee to “Shhh, _niña_…Stay asleep, _ahora._” Faith mumbled something, then sighed and obediently returned to sleep. _'She is healing quickly – part of her power was fast healing, was it not?'_ Roberta had been worried last night at how ragged and painful Faith’s breathing was, but a night in bed and a long session with Jaune's healing semblance had Faith breathing much easier and resting comfortably. 

She still clenched her fist and gnashed her teeth at not having been there to help the girl fight Hazel Rainart. She had sent Faith in to secure Oscar while she helped disarm the White Fang bombs sequestered around Haven Academy. In hindsight, she wished she would have gone with Faith. She was proud of the girl’s work, however. Oscar/Ozpin was saved, and Faith had held her own, at least until the end, against a very dangerous opponent. Roberta pulled out a brush and began to work on Faith’s hair. 

There was a slight knock and Jaune and Oscar entered. “How is she doing?” Jaune asked. 

“Much better, _señor mollete_, she’s breathing much easier, and her bruises are fading already. _Gracías_, thank you, for your help.”

Oscar spoke up, “I wanted to thank her for what she did, but if she’s sleeping I can come back later.” Jaune added “I can sit with her if you want a break.”

Roberta thought for a second, then said “Alright.” She stood up and offered Jaune her chair. As he passed by she noticed the fresh faced boy she liked to think of Jaune as had been replaced by a war weary man who looked like he had lost too much in the fight. She put her hand on his shoulder “You look tired, _señor_. I do not think she needs more of your semblance; just a comrade to lend her some support. And to keep her in bed, resting!” Jaune smiled gratefully; “Okay, on it. Bed. Resting. Check.” When he smiled, Roberta still saw some of the boy in him, and she was happier for it.

She turned her attention to Oscar. Almost without thinking, she fussed over him; straightening and smoothing his shirt. She ran her fingers through his hair, combing it and styling it to her satisfaction. Oscar pretended to tolerate her ministrations; in truth, he enjoyed the attention she paid him, and he felt…_safe_, somehow, whenever he was around the tall, more mature, raven haired huntress.

She put her arm across his shoulder. “I feel the need to stretch my legs, _niño_, would you like to take a walk with me, and explore the city a bit? Faith might be awake by the time we get back, so you could offer her your thanks then.”

Oscar nodded, replying “Yes, ma'am. Thank you for inviting me.” His eyes belied his excitement; he’d never been to a city like this before, and a tall, cool exotic huntress would accompany him, as well?

Roberta smiled warmly at him as she guided him to the front door. “_De nada_, is nothing, _niño_. I will be happy to have such a charming young man as my protection…” He knew she was teasing him now; he had seen Roberta spar with the other huntsman, and the idea that he would need to defend her was laughable.

But even her teasing felt good natured…

…Roberta watched as Oscar amused himself playing a game of chance at a street vendor’s stall in the open air market they had wandered into. They had found a nice little café to have breakfast at, and bought assorted pastries to bring back to the house for everyone. Roberta, hand firmly clasp on Oscar’s back, took him to a barber shop and ordered a “stylish and proper” haircut for her young companion. Old habits dying hard, she had kept him in sight at all times, and no more than an arm’s length away in crowded areas. While he was busy enjoying himself, she had bought him a trinket; a little chain he could wear to remind him of happy times 

Her eyes fell on maid’s costumes being advertised in a store window. Scandalously short skirts and push up bras under a banner reading 'Oooh la la!' made her shake her head while she kept watch on Oscar out of the corner of one eye. She counted her blessings Faith was not here; she could hear the little minx teasing already…_'Ooh, oui, master! Zet me polish ze desk wit my breasts! Do you like?!...Oh dear, master! I dressed and remembered my uniform but I forget my panties! Look, zilly me, master!'_ The corners of her mouth twitched upwards momentarily at the thought of her mentee's…enthusiasm.

_'Then again, maybe one cool night Garcia could use a saucy maid to warm his bed…or Gynda…Both?'_ She shook herself out of her reverie. _'It is not the uniform, it is what it represents; a new life, a chance to serve with duty, honor, and love, not necessarily in that order.’_ She quietly blew on the glass, then traced on it with her finger.

Oscar came up beside her. She teased him; “So how much did you lose?”

Oscar looked sheepish “A pink lien.”

Roberta chuckled, then fetched Oscar to her side with one arm. She briefly rested his head against her shoulder and upper arm, with her hand on his forehead. “Come then, we should be getting back. Especially since we do not want you to be destitute and sleeping in a cardboard box in front of the house.” Oscar blushed as he fell in by her side. As they walked away, Roberta’s tracing faded as the fog on the glass evaporated.

A valentine heart, written inside “Home soon, _mí amor G._”

**Author's Note:**

> So the part near the beginning, from the paragraph:
> 
> "You're name is Hazel? Seriously?! What? Did your parents lose a bet?" Faith snarked.”
> 
> to the paragraph:
> 
> “He conceded with a nod. "But you've got that a bit wrong, girl." Again he smiled that damn smug, sinister smile. "It's may the _best_ fighter win." He shook his head. "That is _not_ you." This time he rushed forward as Faith did.”
> 
> was actually written by Chadmaako himself. We would exchange teasers over emails for new ideas we had, and those paragraphs were his about how the fight could start.
> 
> There’s one more idea we discussed, then an idea for the final battle with Salem. Then, finally, we discussed ideas for Roberta’s homecoming. The latter two I probably will have to hold up on until sometime during or after the next season of RWBY. It looks like a battle is coming in season 7, and I want to see how it plays out before I go ahead and write a big battle ending everything.
> 
> So next time, team RFFL debates switching sides…


End file.
